ATLANTA -- The judge presiding over the murder case involving accused courthouse shooter Brian Nichols can remain on the case.

Superior Court Judge Daniel Coursey, in a ruling Thursday, denied a defense motion seeking to remove Superior Court Judge James Bodiford from the Nichols case.

Bodiford said that he can be fair to accused courthouse shooter Brian Nichols despite a newspaper statement he authorized that described his colleague's death as a "brutal murder."

The defense argued Bodiford can't be fair to Nichols because of comments Bodiford made in a newspaper article published four days after the March 11, shooting spree that began at the Fulton County Courthouse.

The previous judge overseeing the murder case stepped down from the case in January because of comments he made to a magazine.

Nichols' lawyers have said Bodiford should be removed because he told a newspaper in a story published four days after the shooting spree that he was friends with one of the victims, Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes.

Nichols is charged with killing four people after escaping from custody at the Fulton County Courthouse.